Suspected Russian spy released in Norway

Friday, October 19, 2018 4:00:46 PM

An employee of the Central Office of the Russian Federation Council, Mikhail Bochkaryov, who was recently detained in Norway on suspicion of espionage, has now been released, according to the head of the Committee of the Upper House on International Affairs, Konstantin Kosachev.

“Yes, the Norwegian delegation in the Inter-Parliamentary Union informed us about it. We have repeatedly discussed this problem with them,” Kosachev stated.

On September 23, it was reported about a Russian citizen detained by police at Oslo airport on suspicion of engaging in illegal intelligence activities. Later, Norwegian Aftenposten informed that the 51-year-old Russian is a senior advisor of the information technology department of the Russian Federation Council. The man was detained for two weeks because of concerns that the incriminating evidence could be destroyed.

The suspect attended a data digitalization seminar in the Norwegian Parliament. Norwegian police reported that his behavior at the seminar was suspicious and as a result he was arrested.